By Pamela ReyesI’m a results oriented gal. I’ll be the first to admit that I like immediate gratification, no matter if it’s in my business or personal life. If I want a new lawn, don’t give me grass seed I want sod. Forget the flower seeds I want to see colorful blooms in my garden today! I also love the feeling of checking things off my endless ‘to do’ list. For decades I was used to working under the pressure of intense deadlines, as a result duress and stress became the norm for me. In fact, I learned to thrive on it! It was my way of measuring success, in addition to all the material things in life (money, house cars, vacations, etc). What I discovered over time was even after having achieved all those things, there was still an overwhelming feeling of emptiness, like something was missing and unfulfilled in my life. I kept feeling there had to be more. I wanted to make a difference! As an entrepreneur, over the past few years I’ve learned the importance of slowing down to move faster in the right direction. It took some getting used to this new way of thinking, with the help of other like minded entrepreneurs. After taking the time to think about what success looked like and felt like, I redefined success on my terms. Success to me is measured by my contribution to my family, community and work rather than the number of things checked off my ‘to do’ list or how I make my living. It completely changed my sense of self worth – far beyond the monetary aspect. In fact, last year I found the perfect “To Do” list on a pendant that I bought and wear it around my neck as a reminder and it is:DREAMINSPIREPLAY To me, real success is when you realize your dreams. First you need to dream and then have the courage and confidence to make your dreams a reality. When your motive is your dream and your dream drives your actions – your life becomes much more fulfilling.